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Agrippa
2015-11-30, 05:41 PM
I don't know what sort of prefix to put up, because this isn't meant for just one particular D&D edition. I'm trying to come up with a special attack for giants and other very large creatures. Basically it's a swinging attack that targets a group of adjacent characters instead of one individual. Are there any ideas on how that would work?

LibraryOgre
2015-11-30, 05:47 PM
Well, it very much depends on edition, because it's a pretty mechanical question, but I would be inclined to make it a save-based attack. In AD&D, it would be a save v. breath weapon; in 3.x, it would be a reflex save, probably against a 10+Giant's Attack Bonus. Giant does the swing, and does X damage to those in the area, half on a saving throw. X should be less than normal damage, maybe around half... something a giant might use to clear a bunch of weak foes from in front of them, but make it a less-good option when fighting a tough opponent.

Ninja_Prawn
2015-11-30, 05:53 PM
in 3.x, it would be a reflex save, probably against a 10+Giant's Attack Bonus.

Likewise, in 5e it would be a Dex save for anyone in a cone (maybe 15 or 20 feet) against 8 + giant's Str mod + giant's proficiency bonus. Damage would be XdY (X and Y depending on all sorts of factors), halved on a successful save.

Agrippa
2015-11-30, 05:58 PM
My problem isn't so much about what sort of attack method to use, but how to determine the amount of enemies the giant can hit with a single strike.

Hawk7915
2015-11-30, 06:22 PM
Everyone within reach along one side? So for example

-hhhh-
hhhhhh
--gg---
--------

You'd need custom wording since no effect has a shape like that in D&D 3.5, 4, or 5 that I know of but it makes intuitive sense. You could also just say "each creature within reach, limit 9 targets" or something like that.

LibraryOgre
2015-11-30, 08:07 PM
My problem isn't so much about what sort of attack method to use, but how to determine the amount of enemies the giant can hit with a single strike.

I'd go with a set area of effect... probably, effectively, a cone in one direction. They can do a golf-style swing and hit everyone in that cone. If they target a "cone" that only has a couple people in it, they hit a couple people.

cooldes
2015-11-30, 09:50 PM
i'd say for 5e a reverse cone would be best. so like

- h h h h -
- - h h - -
- - g g - -
-- - - - --

Assuming 10ft is max reach and giant is large.

it could either be a dex save in 5e, or something near whirlwind attack, where the creature makes seperate attacks for each creature.

Agrippa
2015-12-01, 04:51 PM
Thank you for all your support and advice on improving giants and sized-monsters in general. I've already used some of it in my new blog post (http://avoyageintothefantastic.blogspot.com/2015/12/wrestling-with-giants.html).